Ajani's eyes widden with concern for his friend and he moves toward the Grindylow Druid, reaching out once more with the cold, frozen energy of his Frostbite spell, trying again to reach the beast with his bare, furry hand.
Badly hurt and without spells, Hassan casts his gaze about for options. Fight, or flight?, he thinks to himself. Running seems wiser, but as weak as he as it would be impossible to out-swim the druid.
Seeing Ajani swim up behind the Grindylow Druid, Hassan steels himself for a last desperate strike, praying silently to sea and sky that he will see another day. He strikes out with his shortspear, pressing the slim advantage he has gleaned from Ajani moving to flank the Grindylow.
Yes, Fjori is up. Ajani note that ypur move provokes an AoO...still want to do that?
Shaken by the brutal slash from Plugg's cutlass, Fjori spits blood into his foes face, then lashes out once again with his cutlass and ax.
Attack-Melee(cutlass):
Damage:
Attack-Melee (Ax):
Damage:
Ajani turns to see Hassan pass out with his final effort. Seeing the grindylow druid as the primary threat Ajani turns away from the octopus to intercede on the sorcerer's behalf. The octopus nips at Ajani, breaking the skin but otherwise Ajani is able to close the distance to the other druid.
Ajani strikes the grindylow with his magic infused hand. The creature shudders from the sudden cold of the touch and becomes visibly fatigued. The druid gestures past Ajani and the octopus wheels to the druids side as the grindlow itself uses the opportunity to swim backwards its spear raised in a guarding position
Ajani has the distinct sense that his "brother" in nature is willing to leave this a draw.
On the sand Fjori continues his assault. A wide cutlass swing falls short but as tempers flare Fjori spits his blood at Plugg and hammers at the mate with his axe, this time catching Plugg along the ribs and bloodying the pirate once more.
Plugg flushes a crimson red and screams at Fjori in rage, I'll not fall to the likes of you, you lackwitted brute! Plugg strikes at Fjori with his cat'o nine tails but the freebooter easily turns its aside. If I'm to die you'll reach the depths with me. We drown together! Plugg strikes Fjori fiercely with his cutlass the blade biting deep against Fjori's skin. Fjori takes 11 Both men appear vut up and wounded but Plugg looks the worse for wear and he continue to fight wildly in desperation.
Meanwhile Tate once more tries to take advantage of Bart's reoccupation with Scourge but now that the Chelaxian is done with the bosun he easily sees Tate's lazy strike and steps aside.
Ajani himself seems obviously hesitant to pursue the fellow druid, though the glow of the cold still encases his hand and he is able to shake off the poison of the octopus' bite. Given Hassan's condition, he takes another look around the area to hopefully try and get a better idea of where Quinn could've been taken to, operating on the assumption that the grindylows are responsible for her disappearance, he will retrieve the unconscious Qadiran and make for the surface.
Ajani doesn't see anything and white that is disheartening, it makes sense. If they had the option they would find something more defensible like in a cove or off a bluff rather than open sand. Considering the size of the island there is probably only one tribe and they probably have a range of the entire circumference of the shore.
Cackling with an unnerving bloodlust echoed by the great gray parrot above, Quillin flicks a pinch of colored sand at Tate which buffets the portly thug with a whirling storm of rainbow sparkles.
Mel reloads and turns her attention to Plugg,though she holds her fire knowing Fjori has the greater grievance.She is ready to shoot the Mate if the Ulfen falls
Quillin cackles, flicks and Tate drops to the sand in an explosion of scintillating colors.
After surfacing from beneath the waves with Hassan held tightly in tow, Ajani will continue to make his way back to the beach, Quinn's holy symbol around his neck for safekeeping. Right now his primary concern is getting the Qadiran to safety and (hopefully) some form or other of healing to get him back on his feet...not to mention his own sore lack of significant spellcasting for the remainder of the day.
Bart eyeballs the now enchanted dwarf and laughs aloud. He spits blood on the unconscious body before turning his attention to Plugg. "" he yells at the top of his lungs before barreling into Plugg.
:
:
: .
Cackling with glee, the dreadlocked gnome draws his dagger and makes sure Scourge and his fallen mates won't be getting back up.
Plugg does not survive the sudden brutal entrance of Bart as the Chelaxian manages to somehow snap Plugg's neck from the force of their collision but also rip off pluge ponytail in a brutal scalping maneuver to end the fight. Like Scourge before him Plugg's life ends well before his body hits the sand.
Quillin sets about his task of "ending the fight" with satisfaction.
As Ajani helps Hassan up the beach, hauling the unconscious body across the sand with obvious strain and effort on his relatively slight frame, he glances behind himself continually, finally getting close enough to see Quillin going about his gruesome business. "I am glad to see you fared better than did we, though I cannot say if Quinn is much better. There were many of those grindylow creatures below the surface, but we recovered her holy symbol. There was no sign of her otherwise, but I cannot help but think she is about. Regardless, Hassan and I need to rest. We both are running short of spells for the day."
Fjori falls to his knees, breathing heavy. He looks up at the big Chelaxian brawler and smiles.
"My thanks. I am not sure how much longer I could have kept that up! First undead whores, then this. I am ready for a nap now."
Quillin grins up at Ajani as he wipes the blood off his dagger and onto his pants. "About time you joined us. Have a nice swim then?"
Mel frowns a little as Quillin seems to take a little too much pleasure in finishing off the wounded.
"That was ill done" she mutters turns on her heel and heads to assist Ajani in bringing in Hassan. She helps make the Quadiran comfortable then turns on the gnome as he makes a flippant comment.
"That..was not...necessary...nor was slaughering the helpless in a way that Plugg would have approved off..we do no service to ourselves if we become like those we profess to despise..do we?"
It is quite obvious that she is upset with the Gnome's attitude.
Quillin shrug, "It's not like I enslaved them or tormented them as was done to us so not exactly like Plugg, huh? They died quietly in their sleep." He grins and gives Mel a big wink.
"Anyhow, it's the pirate way. Show 'em we mean business and we aren't to be trifled with. If they surrender, they'll get mercy. If they fight, Gods help 'em."
"Gods help those, what help themselves," Smudge calls as he lands on the chest and Quillin joins the diabolical bird as he scans the chest for magic and they dig through the booty.
Bart grins like a demon. "Everyone done already?" he calls aloud. He laughs like a man enjoying a most raucous party. It is quite clear that the big man has not been this happy in almost a month.
"I, for one, agree with Mel. There is no need for senseless slaughter, lest we make ourselves into no better a party than those we have bested. Despite the hardships they have brought to us, I think they deserve a better fate than a wild boar destined for the spit.
Regardless...the deed now done, I would at least prefer we give them a proper burial at sea if we are able. They were all still sailors, after all. After that, Hassan and I must rest...I counted no less than half a dozen grindylows laying about and I fear that it is they who have taken Quinn, and not our shipmates here. If we are to discover what happened to her, it will have to wait until Hassan and I have recovered from the fight with my brethren druid and his subordinates beneath the waves. There are likely more besides them."
His piece said, Ajani kneels next to Hassan, taking a deep breath as he tries to discern the best way to get his Qadiran friend on the road to recovery. "I don't suppose any of you are carrying a healing potion? Or perhaps there is one in the chest you have recovered? Any long-term care that I provide will be insufficient for helping Hassan back to full strength without several days of rest...granted, I can prepare healing spells come morning light, but that will also leave me less prepared for any combat we see tomorrow."
"Don't get misty-eyed on me, monkey. It's kill or be killed out here and I wasn't about to let the likes of Scourge or Tate put a knife in my back. The way I see it, with Plugg and his cronies gone, the ship's all ours. I spent too many years working away for someone else. It's time to take charge and enjoy a bit of the profits," the gnome and his bird cackle as Quillin lets a handful of coins slip through his fingers.
"But don't let it be said, Quillin isn't a good mate. Sink the bodies if you like and I'm for offering terms of surrender in the future so long as there's no grudge."
The gnome locates a vial in an inside pocket of his velvet jacket. "I was saving this for an emergency, but let's see if Hassan can do anything more useful than serve as ballast."
potion clw
Mel shoots Quillin a look of exasperation.."You don't have to enjoy the slaughter so much"
As if in counterpoint to her explanation she walks to Pluggs corpse and gives it a hefty kick.. then gets to searching his body in a methodical manner
That involves stripping his body down to the small clothes and seareching every seam
Hassan's eyes flutter open seconds after the healing brew meets his gullet. He shades his eyes from the burning sun high above. "I was having the most wonderful dream that I was dead."
He stands, slowly, and catches up on what has transpired while he was unconscious. "Many and profuse thanks, oh wisest and most masterful of all Vanara, for rescuing my foolish self from the clutches of that wicked creature. It is my eternal and profound shame that we were not able to rescue the poor maid Quinn from them this day. It is my hope that whatever ill they mean her, it will hold until we can mount a stronger attack."
"At least our comrades were successful where we have failed. Although..." he looks pointedly at Quillin, "it would have been good to bring back live prisoners to hang, in front of the rest of the crew where they could see our triumph. We must at least bring back trophies, to prove that those vultures and jackals are truly dead."
Hassan punctuates this last line by taking the opportunity to spit in what's left of the faces of Plugg and Scourge. "And my thanks to you as well, oh mightiest of wizards, for the potion."
"QUINN! You found her? Where is she? Why are we not going to free her if she is being held by these creatures!"
Fjori begins to head back the way Hassan and Ajani came from, staggering and nearly falling in the process.
Immediately, Ajani jumps to his feet, stopping Fjori from going any further before he face-plants in the sandy beach.
"Calm yourself, my friend. I do not believe Quinn to be in any immediate danger. There were signs of struggle beneath the waves, yes, but no sign of blood or anything that may indicate she was hurt. Regardless, none of us are in any state to help her right now, and would likely only succeed in getting ourselves killed along with whatever these grindylows have planned for her. She may even have escaped them already."
"I believe our best course of action right now is to rest and recover until morning, when we will all be in a better position to stage a rescue."
Bart scratches at the smattering of hair on his cheek, evidence of his inability to shave for quite some time, while listening to the argument of the gnome's actions. They mustn' like 'im, mad as they be 'bout him doin' fer all them. But they didn' seem ter have no problems wif 'ow I 'andled ole Plugg.
"Dead's dead. Doesn' matter 'ow ya do it. Tha point bein' that it's done."
"And my thanks to you as well, oh mightiest of wizards, for the potion."
Quillin smirks from his seat atop the chest of gold. "Well, it wasn't a gift, Easterner. I expect to be repaid. Seems I'm good for gold at the moment, but maybe you can share that swimming spell. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out if you can cast it. HA!"
"Well, it's been quite a day. I feel a bit safer with Plugg pushing up daisies. Sink him if you like. We've still got grin-belows and possibly more dead doxies lurking about though. Where do you think we should hole up?"
Hassan looks out to the rolling waves. "Somewhere away from the water."
"Perhaps the most gifted of trackers might find us a cave or copse that would provide some shelter, assuming it's too far to make it back to the ship before nightfall."
"There was that fort we saw earlier. That should do... if it's unoccupied. It sounds more comfortable that a cave anyway."
Mel frowns and pulls the map from its place in her belt.It is some time since she looked at it
Mel sees the surrounding landscape in finely detailed ink. All of the group's previous efforts have been recorded in exquisite detail making it very plain, of the surrounding landscape, what trails the group took. The effect remains limited however perhaps casting about only within 100 feet of where the map has been taken. Nonetheless given the detail and speed of the drawing, even that function is useful.
Mel does note however that closer to her still the map shows even more detail. Within about 15 feet Mel can see a handful of symbols that seem to populate the map around her current position. One obvious one seems to relate to gold as little versions of the symbol litter the sand where the opened chest has cascaded across the sand. (This is how Mel can tell the distance of the second effect as it doesn't illustrate the gold past a certain point.)
3 elaborate crossobw bolts that radiate magic [Plugg]
1 Skull adorned cutlass that radiates magic [Plugg]
1 potion [Plugg]
1 MW cat-o'-nine-tails [Plugg]
1 light crossbow [Plugg]
10 Bolts
1 elaborate amulet that radiates magic [Plugg]
1 pair black and silver bracers that radiate magic [Plugg]
1 pair of shackles that radiate magic [Plugg]
1 "betting" sash (sash with hidden pockets) [Plugg]
1 MW captain's coat [+2 SOH checks to hide in coat] [Plugg]
2 Potion [Scourge]
1 Punching Dagger with sheath, blade coated in "something" [Scourge]
1 MW handaxe featuring silver filigree and notches on handle (kills) [Scourge]
1 diamond studded snuff box (with "something" in it) [Scourge]
1 MW waxed coat [Scourge]
1 Shortbow [Scourge]
10 arrows in weatherproof quiver[Scourge]
1 MW whip [Scourge]
1 Botswain's call
1 MW Leather Armor
1 dark green bottle with "something" in it. (full) w/cork [Scourge]
6 gold teeth (if you want to pry them out of his mouth [Scourge]
1 Silver wedding ring.
3 Cutlass [Pirates]
1 MW Dagger [Narwhal Tate]
Associated coinage, gems, trinkets and so on worth estimated 10,000 gp [Chest and coins from people]
1 wedding dress inlaid with pearls [400 gp0 [Chest]
1 "case" with three orange and red flasks. [Chest]
1 Elaborate chest featuring silver crossbars and broken clasp. [100 gp] [Chest]
3 elaborate crossobw bolts that radiate magic [Plugg]
1 Skull adorned cutlass that radiates magic [Plugg]
1 potion [Plugg]
1 elaborate amulet that radiates magic [Plugg]
1 pair black and silver bracers that radiate magic [Plugg]
1 pair of shackles that radiate magic [Plugg]
2 Potion [Scourge]
Quillin burrows through the booty using detect magic to figure out the magical items.
Hassan moves slowly next to Quillin, Detecting Magic to render a second opinion.
Fjori, still slightly weaving on his feet, finally plunks down beside the treasure chest. He watches as Hassan and Quillin check all the items. With his wounds, and lack of sleep, Fjori starts to doze on the warm sand, keeping only half an ear open to listen to his companions.
Stopping their game of dueling insults long enough to work through the treasure the gnome and Qadiran manage to identify everything in the pile:
3 elaborate crossobw bolts that radiate magic [Plugg] Screaming Bolts
1 Skull adorned cutlass that radiates magic [Plugg] Tidewater cutlass (+1 cutlass that casts Hydarulic Push 1 time per day (CL 3)
1 potion [Plugg] Cure Serious Wounds (CL 5)
1 elaborate amulet that radiates magic [Plugg] (Natural Armor +1)
1 pair black and silver bracers that radiate magic [Plugg] (Bracers of Armor +1)
1 pair of shackles that radiate magic [Plugg]
fit around the wrists or ankles of any creature from Small to
Huge size and automatically lock. A creature wearing shackles
of compliance becomes more susceptible to intimidation.
Any creature attempting to intimidate or demoralize a
target wearing shackles of compliance gains a +4 bonus on
Intimidate checks. In addition, the holder of the manacles’
key can cast command (DC 25) on the wearer of the shackles
three times per day.
Shackles of compliance have hardness 10 and 10 hit points,
and a DC 30 Disable Device check is required to pick the
shackles’ lock. A manacled creature can break free with a DC 28
Strength check or DC 35 Escape Artist check, or the lock can
be opened with a DC 30 Disable Device check
2 Potion [Scourge]
Potion of Barksin (CL 3)
Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds (CL 3)
Quillin describes the magical items to the rest as they are identified grinning appreciatively at Hassan as he savvies their powers. He tosses Fjori Plugg's healing potion and he grabs Scourge's. "This might relieve you, Fjori and I believe I'm due a potion as well."
"Aye. I might do well with those fine bracers. And I imagine the boy could put the bolts to good use."
"Err... I mean girl. Mel. That is, Lady Mel--um....Yes." the Qadiran stammers out, tripping over his own tongue for once, before lapsing into silence.